Rotary snap-switch.



G. B. THOMAS. ROTARY SNAP SWITCJH. APPLICATION FILED FBB.14,1908.

966,368.- Patented Aug. 2, 1910.

INNENTOR WITNESSES 2M ma a GEORGE IB. THOMAS, 0F BRIDGEPGRT, ELECTRIC SWITCH MFG. COMPANY, ,TION OF CONNECTICUT.

ROTARY Specification of Letters Patent.

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO THE PERKINS OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORA- SNAP-SWITCH.

Patented Aug. 2, 1 51111..

Application filed February 1 1, 1908. Serial No. 415,923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen B. TnoMAs, a citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairral spring in assembling the parts of the switch, that the switch blades will be self adjusting in making contacts, that a. switch without a dial may be readily converted to a dial switch and that a double pole form may be built up on the single pole construction.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section, drawn to an enlarged scale, of arotary snap switch embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view on the line 2-2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective View, partly in section, of the switch blade and-upper part of the carrier; Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the lower part of the switch blade carrier; Fig. 5.is a perspective view of the crown piece by which the adjustment or" the spring may be obtained; Fig. 6 isa perspective View of a part of the switch spindle; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a nut by which the crown piece is held on the spindle; and Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the rotating switch member of double pole construction.

In Fig. 1, A. is the insulating base of porcelain or other suitable insulating material and of any usual or convenient construction and provided with any suitable cover B, which may be held in place, as usual, by the handle 0, screwed on the top of the rotating spindle S. This rotating spindle turns in a sleeve '13 ot' the switch carrier, and that sleeve 13 turns in a bearing'afi'orded by the catch plate It, fixed in the center oi theinsulating base A and the spindle is held from removalvertically by a nut n, screwed on the lower threaded end of the spindle, and bearing against a washer'r in the bottom of a recess on the underside of the base. The sleeve 13 finds its lower bearing in the washer 1. "With the catch platelt engages the latch (Z of a nut D, through which passes the threaded hub E, formed or secured on the spindle S.

The switch blade F, which I have shown as of the double leaf type, is mounted on, but insulated from its carrier, which can turn upon the spindle S. This carrier is preferably made in two parts, an upper part 10 which is of arch or bridge form, Figs. 3 and 8, and a lower part 12, which has at its underside a trunnion or sleeve 13, to turn in the plate It and washer '1, and is made tubular for the passage of the spindle Q Fig. 1. This sleeve at the same time serves as a bearing for the spindle. This lower part 12 of the carrier may support the upper part '10. by our teet'lt on the latter (Fig. 3) entering with some freedom of motion. holes in the lower part 12, this fIQCtlUl'H of motion being such as to permit the upper part 10 to rock on the lower part 12 to a limited extent so that the switch blade F may be self-adjusting in making contact with the contacts at the bindingposts as the blade flies around from the off to the on position. The upper part 10, on which the switch blade is mounted, has the crown of the arch of ring form, Fig. 3,

with an opening 11 for the tree passage-of the spindle and the coiled spring H (Fig. 1). The blade F, which is also made with central opening for the free passage of the spindle and coiled spring, is mounted on this carrier in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the securing means comprise a pair of metallic eyelets 16 passing through openings in the carrier part 10 and through holes in the blade F on opposite sides of the central opening therein, and insulating i'errules and washers 18 are interposed between the blade F on the one hand and the-partlO and eyelets 16 on the other hand. The eyelets 16 are flanged over the insulating washers to secure the described parts together.

The indicating dial K has secured to it a pair of downwardly projecting pins in, in such positions and of such size that they will enter with a snug fit a pair of holes formed in the blade carrier, and for this purpose, I prefer to employ eyelets 16, as shown in Fig. 1. In this way, an indicating dial may. be readily applied to the blade carrier or omitted, as occasion may require. The hole in the center of the dial K to pass over the spindle S and parts carried by the spindle is made of such a size as to fit snugly I over the collar or cylindrical nut 20 on the spindle, so that the parts will steady each other.

The spiral spring H around the spindle is connected to the latter at its upper end and to the switch carrier at its lower end. An

extended end of the spring at the lower end enters at notch 17 in oneor other of the arms 19 (Figs. 1 and 3) or some other suitable part of the carrier. At the upper end, I provide a crown iece J, with a flange having a plurality o notches j, into any one of which the upper end of the coil maybe engaged, as ad uStment of the spring may require, when the parts are assembled. This crown piece is so put onto the spindle that it is prevented from turning, as by slabbing or groovin the upper threaded end of the spindle (Figs. '2 and 6) and making in the crown piece J an opening 21 of shape corresponding with the cross section "of the spindle. A nut or screw collar 20 holds the crown J down on a shoulder or shoulders formed on the spindle by slabbing or grooving the spindle.

As an economical way of constructing the threaded hub E on the spindle to raise the latching nut D, I take a tube of brass or J ment with the wings.

other metal of suitable diameter, and with a diametrical slot at the end. After forming on the spindle wings 22, Fig. 6, I drive this metal tube onto the spindle from the lower end of the latter, until the wings 22 enter the slot in the end of the tube, whereupon the latter is compressed into locking ci'igage- Thereafter the screw threads are cut in the hub thus applied.

The switch I have above described is of the single pole type; but the construction is such that a double pole switch may be built up from it. Thus as shown in Fig. 8, all that is necessary is to provide above the switch blade F, an intermediate metallic carrier ring 101, which is riveted with intermediate insulation to the carrier 10 by eyelets 161, slightly longer than the eyelets Then to the upper side of this ring 101,

' I secure a blade-F standing at right angles to the blade F. The blade F is of course insulated from the ring 101, and it may be secured and insulated by the like means used assess of notches, into any one of which the end of the spring may be engaged.

3. A rotary snap switch, having a spindle, and a rotary switch piece provided with eyelets to secure the switch piece parts together, in combination with a dial having pendent pins to removably fit into said eyelets.

4. A rotary switch piece, consisting of a bottom carrier, a switch blade riveted to but I insulated from said carrier, and a metallic carrier ring mounted above and secured to said blade and carrier, in combinationcwith asecond blade rivet-ed to said intermediate carrier ring and insulation interposed to insulate one blade from the other.

5. A rotary snap switch having a base and catch plate, a latch, a rotary switch piece, having adepending sleeve turning in said catch plate, a spindle passing through the sleeve, and a nut and washer on the underside of the base, the sleeve findinga hearing in the washer.

6. A rotary switch piece, comprising a bottom carrier, a switch blade with open center having its opposite sides secured to, but insulated from, saidcarrier, and a metallic carzier ring secured to said blade and carrier a the same points, in combination with a second blade secured to the 1ntermediatc carrier ring and-insulation interposed to insulate one blade from the other.

In testimony whereof- I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. -;1

GEORGE THOMAS. Witnesses:

G. W. Goonnmsn, F. E. SEELEY. 

